CALIFORNIA CAMP-MEETING.
By L. M. Hall
The Northern California Camp-meeting was held according to appointment, Sept. 13 to 19, near Yountville, Napa County. There were over one hundred tents pitched, and five hundred and sixty persons encamped. Everything about the encampment was neat and in the most perfect order. The tents were numbered, and the streets of the cotton village laid out by actual survey, and alphabetically named. The grounds were beautiful, being level, and well shaded by large majestic oaks, having the appearance of existing for centuries; and on either side, or nearly surrounding, was a delightful stream of pure soft water. The entrance was a broad arch and a smaller archway each side, draped and festooned with evergreens. Over the broad entrance on the outside was inscribed, “Seventh-day Adventist Camp-meeting;” over the side entrance, at the right, “Behold, I come quickly;” at the left, “Walk in the Light:” on the inside, over the broad entrance, in letters of evergreen, “God Is Love;” at one side, “Love the Lord;” at the other, “Love thy Neighbor.” A short distance from this entrance, hanging upon a large oak, was a nicely framed diagram of the grounds, giving the location of every tent, with the number and the name of occupant. The large pavilion, with a seating capacity of nearly two thousand, was well located. The speakers’ stand was decorated with an anchor and trimmings of evergreen. The opening meeting was held at six o’clock Thursday morning, at which there was a good representation of those encamped on the ground. Prayer was offered by Eld. Loughborough, followed with remarks upon the arrangements and regulations of the camp. At ten A. M. the bell rang for service, and the people again congregated in the pavilion. Eld. Loughborough read the first and last psalms, remarking particularly upon David’s praising God with instruments of music. These remarks were suggested by the thought that some might be disturbed at seeing an organ upon the ground. The praises of God were then sounded forth by melodious voices accompanying the deep tones of the organ. At the hour for preaching, Eld. Healey gave a discourse on the subject of the advent, clearly setting forth the teachings of the apostles and the prophets, and their faith in the second advent of Christ. At two o’clock P. M., Eld. Loughborough discoursed upon the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, giving the signs betokening Christ’s second coming. At five P. M. the California Conference convened. The secretary’s report showed an increase of nearly one-third in the membership of the Conference the past year. In the evening, Bro. Stephens spoke on the prophecy of Daniel, Chap. 2. The meetings upon Friday commenced with the six o’clock morning meeting, at which Eld. Loughborough made some remarks on the subject of family prayer. At nine o’clock a social meeting was held. Over one hundred spirited testimonies were borne in forty minutes. At 10:30 preaching by Eld. Healey, and at two P. M. by Eld. Loughborough. In the evening, Bro. Rice spoke upon the Sabbath question. Sabbath, the morning meeting was well attended, and at nine o’clock an interesting social meeting was held. At the hour for preaching, Eld. Healey spoke upon the law. At two P. M. a very interesting Sabbath-school address was read by Bro. J. E. White. A model Sabbath-school was then held, conducted by J. E. White. At five o’clock a meeting was called for the benefit of those just making a start to serve the Lord. About forty came forward for prayers. Deep feeling was manifested, and the Spirit of the Lord seemed to place a seal upon the work. At the close of the Sabbath a special season of prayer was engaged in for the afflicted, particularly for one of Bro. Morrison’s daughters, who, in her anxiety to attend the camp-meeting, was brought upon the ground on her bed. Sunday, the meetings were important and interesting. Over one thousand persons from surrounding towns and the intermediate country were in attendance. On Monday, at 9 A. M., Eld. Loughborough read a Conference Address, after which a missionary meeting was held, also a session of the California Conference, at which it was voted that the Conference Address be published in the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. At the hour for preaching, Eld. Healey spoke upon the subject of temperance; at two P. M., we were117favored with a discourse from Dr. M. G. Kellogg; and at three o’clock Bro. Boren spoke upon the prophecy of Daniel. An inquiry meeting was then held and a large number came forward for baptism. In the evening, a discourse was given by Eld. Loughborough. Tuesday morning at eight o’clock a meeting was held for the examination of candidates for baptism. At ten A. M., a procession was formed, the administrators, Elds. Loughborough and Healey, taking the lead, the candidates next in order, then the singers, followed by the congregation, making a procession that extended nearly from the grounds to the water, a distance of from sixty to eighty rods. The candidates, attendants, and singers occupied the ground on one side of the stream, while the crowd covered the bank upon the other. Here fifty-seven willing souls followed their Lord in the solemn ordinance of baptism, the youth and aged and middle-aged, husband and wife, mother and daughter, grandmother and granddaughter, two and two, went down into the water to rise to walk in newness of life. Some came nearly three hundred miles by private conveyance to attend the meeting; others came two hundred miles from another direction, thus persons living five hundred miles apart were present at this meeting and united in church fellowship. The closing meeting was held Wednesday morning; and as the hour for parting came, all seemed to feel that it had truly been a profitable meeting. Although much regret was expressed that we could not have the labors of Bro. and Sr. White, and the lack of their testimony was sensibly felt, yet all who attended have great reason to thank God for the good meeting, the fruit of which will not be fully known till the great reckoning day, when the sheaves are gathered for the heavenly garner.